Training Log Archive: PG

Broke another tooth today (I have really bad teeth). Did it a little after 4 pm. I've broken bits of tooth off before, only one time so bad that it couldn't be repaired and had to be pulled. This felt more like that, felt like a piece was stabbing me if I brought my teeth together. Immediate questions, like how am I going to eat.

In about a minute I was out the door and headed for the dentist, figured better to just show up rather than call up. Only been a patient there for about 6 months, but they are wonderful, do the whole crown process in 3 hours, making the crown right there, all hi-tech.

So I showed up, my dentist had just started with a patient. Within 5 minutes I was settled into the extra dental chair they have for emergencies. Within another 5 minutes she had pulled out the piece of tooth which was impaled in my gum and stuffed in some cotton to stop the bleeding. Then back to her scheduled patient for about 15-20 minutes. Then back to me for 10 minutes, put in a temporary patch.

And a little after 5 I was walking out, feeling way better. And maybe the tooth won't have to be pulled, will have to see. She is a multitasker extraordinaire, a little bit OCD, with what seems to be excellent skills. Just wonderful.

C • multitasking dentists 2

Taylor Hill - E. Taylor loop from Falls. Legs a bit tired.

Went to Earl's Trails with Phil, but not at all sure of what I wanted to do. One of the possibilities was just a trail "run", actually that was probably my preference. And it seemed like it might be a good idea for Phil to avoid bashing himself on his cratered shin. A bit of discussion. The usual dynamic, two males involved, would be that neither would be willing to suggest the easier option. But we got past that, acted sensibly, and stuck to the trails.

Not that it was easy. Felt just like orienteering, always a struggle, after the first couple of minutes always hard work. It would be easy to get depressed, but what good would that do. And I'm doing pretty well, all things considered.

Spent most of the time behind Phil. I'd fall behind on every little up, because I'd have to walk most of them, and then try to close it back on the downs. He never got out of sight, though a few times it seemed he was about to. Fortunately the ups were all pretty short.

I mentioned when we were done that I feel in a similar situation to Gail and her shoulder. There's no way of knowing how much of her use she'll get back. The main thing is to keep doing the exercises, and as long as there is improvement, that's good. Same with me, keep trying, don't overdo it, and as long as there is improvement, that's good. Even if it often feels like a struggle.

That said, I have to say that there hasn't been a day that I haven't looked forward to these little bits of reasonably serious exercise. :-)

Out with Phil and Julia at Mt. Tom. I suggested a bit of skills training rather than just running a course and no one objected, so that's what we did. Started with a bit of up close and personal with reentrants, then a few controls with short stops for teaching moments (ie. to let the old guys catch their breath), a bit of compass stuff, a couple of one (good) look at the map and go, a smidge of up close and personal with knolls, a couple of reentrants by the numbers, and a final uphill race to the car. Very pleased to make it into the top three in the race.

I thought it was a good session, except for Phil going splat right off the bat. If we can figure out a way for him to stop falling, he'd save a bunch of time.

Jackson Hill Road.

Incline at 0.0, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 for the half miles. Pretty feeble, but something.

Up and down South Sugarloaf on the road. Walked going up, but as quick as I could, 14:05. Got me sweating a bit, but was way easier (and probably not much slower) than if I'd been trying to run little segments. Makes me think that when I'm orienteering there is time to be saved by just walking the ups better. Never could run them any good.

And then jogged down, 7:37, could feel it in my quads, so good to train that too. They haven't done much downhill training in the last four years, and biking downhill sure doesn't help.

Remarkable that the up only bothered my butt a little. Real progress on that over the last 6 months.

C • walking the ups better 3

19:46, 19:22. Trying to relax.

Falls Road, Smiarowski Road, Old Sunderland. Supposed to be short and easy. Well, it was the former.

Tried the Mt. Warner loop again, see if it went any easier than three weeks ago. Can't say that it did. About 30 seconds faster, but that was only because I ran the downhill a little quicker. The uphill was still a real struggle, had to walk again several times. That may just be the way it is going to be.

A little mud, but mostly avoidable.